Wednesday, 27 April 2011

Now all in all despite my butterfly habits when it comes to wargaming and model soldiers I do seem to keep coming back to the 17th century. I have largish ECW armies in 25/28mm(take your pick they are of course the same). Ealier posts will show you at least one of the battles- see Battle of Theakstons Folly.
I suppose it's what comes of sapending 10 years as an ECW re-enactor but the period has always been one of my favourites not just ECW but the Thirty years War too- especially the involvment of English Scots and Irish Mercenaries. So here we see the first of my "Munroe's Regiment" in 40mm - equally it could be Mackays since the latter became the former. In Danish and then Swedish service until the 1630s there is even a little evidence to suggest that the remnants ended up in Ireland- certainly Robert Munroe did- in the army defeated at Benburb by another Mercenary come home Owen Roe O'Niell - who had fought for the Spanish..
There was a lot of that in those far off times. Professional soldiers following the Drum across Europe. ECW Generals Waller and Hopton both fought in Bohemeia and the Earl of Essex fought for the Dutch. Lesser names fought in Poland Saxony and all across Germany. The Scots especially providing troops and Officers for Swedish, Danish, Moskovite and Polish and Dutch armies- but especially Swedish.
So thinking upon these variations the next 3 pictures show officers of various armies of the later 30 years War period- most of whom would be equally at home in ECW armies. All are 40mm and like Munroes they are made from a variety of parts. Mostly Romanoff but with Sash and Saber heads or jacdaw with Romanoff heads . The parts are all pretty interchangeable /. They were designed that way. I wanted the interchangeability. - this would be a pain in 25mm but the bits are big enough to get your fingers round in 40mm .
sculptors do this sort of stuff all the time- small variations in a basic figure. Some charge the bloody earth for it too . I've been quoted £40.00 for a simple arm variant- about 15 minutes work according to the lad who got the job- and DIDN'T charge anything like that.. Some sculptors are just taking the **** but if you are daft enough to pay then fine. However there are plenty of lads out there who do a good job for a fair price so you takes your pick...

Sunday, 24 April 2011

Now as you know I'm a bit of a polymath- thats posh for "never stick to one project for long" If I was female it would be called multi-tasking and I would be told how good at it I was but I'm not I'm a chap so while women never finishing anything is called multi-tasking and if OK even laudable if you are a bloke its called never finishing anything and is simply part of life. So the 40mm Greeks are one of those projects that stutter on and off. The plan is to do Pelopennesian War forces for battles between city states. However this was disrupted when I opened the box after a show last year and discovered they had been given a right "elvising" - ie "all shook up"- laugh,I thought I'd never start ! . So away they went out of sight out of mind sort of thing.However the recent extract from Hail Ceasar (que - Sid Jmaes!!) in Miniature Wargames caused me to dig 'em out and see how bad the damge was. Nothing a bit of superglue couldn't put right - and a drop of paint here and there so here they are . Now all I need is about another 200 or so plus some more peltasts anda few cavalry- all of which I have or can make but painting will slow the job down. At the other end of the scale are these 15mm Moderns- painted for me by Paul Cotton . These are "Middle Eastern Regulars" from my 15mm Modern Range and are deliberately generic . They'd even do as Cubans at a pinch, its all in the paint job. Now my pattern maker has finished the new Warrior W.R.A.P. and its out on the site I'm on a bit of a moderns kick at the moment but as ever it won;'t last and other stuff will catch my eye. Next game won't be 'till June as I have 3 shows in May. Falkirk on the 7th being the first the Tripleson 21st and 22nd then Newark on the 29th I think so a crowded month 30% of a years' shows in 1 month - "somone has blundered" methinks! Actually its the venue owners for Triples- they dumped on the organisers from a great height so it was take it or leave itas if basketball actually matters- at least on this side of the pond. However it takes all sorts so they tell me. However said game will be at the Durham Wargames Group Open Day on the 11th June. Now this is a small local show as I've doubtless said beforeand The T.W.A.T.S and I have been doing a game the for the past 5 years or so. This year its a toss up between ECW and 18th century- and the probability is that it will be 18th century.. Especially as I'm told Robbie Roddiss and his crew can't make it this year. In a roundabout way this has brought me to a decision. I'm getting shot of some of my 18th century collection. Only a few units - all Front rank because they are fat and I just don't like the look of them anymore. There are at least 3 French Cavalry units maybe 4 and some French Light infantry . Painting ranges from the Superb- by Steve Skinner- to the not half bad- by me to the They'll do . As more Jacdaw come out the FR will be replaced by them I've always had an ambivelent attitude to FR. Casting quality and detail is excellent -posing and anatomy ranges from the OK to Gwd 'elp us. Detail while excellent is often overdone. I can see why chaps like 'em but they are so static so now the Jacdaw De Saxe Dragoons are fairly imminent and then Gendarmerie these FR units can move on .

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About Me

I've been in the Wargaming/ Military Modelling/ Military History hobby since about 1970 . In that time I've had a go at most aspects including Re-enactemnt and Blackpowder shooting. Aside from the hobby I like "Old Masters" painting Victirian Genre painting and Englis Watercolurs . Irish and Scottish Whiskies, Fine dining and real Ale.
I also collect Antiquarian Books. mostly but not all Military.